Bayezid
was born in 761 A.H. (1360 A.D.). He ascended the throne in 1389 A.D. He was
warlike. fierce and an able commander. After hiss conquests in Roumelia, he
overcame the principality of Karaman in Anatolia and put an end to the misdeeds
of its ruler. He established a political unity in Asia Minor for the first time
since the disintegration of the Selcuk State.

He then returned
to Roumelia. conquered Thesalonica and enlarged the Ottoman boundaries as far
as Wallace and Moldavia. After this, he turned back to lay siege to Constantinople.
While the city was on the verge of collapse. Timur appeared on the scene and
Bayezid had to lift the siege and move his armies to Anatolia to confront his
enemy. He reorganized the Janissaries, changing and regulating their costumes,
s0 that each division and rank had a special attire and head gear. Bayezid was
surnamed "Thunderbolt" on account of the speed with which he attacked his enemies.
At the same time, he had a keen sense of justice.

Bayezid 1 was a
tall and imposing man; he had a strong neck. a complexion of a reddish white
hue. black eyebrows joined together, a thick moustache and a golden beard. His
chin was straight and he was ram-nosed. He spoke with a powerful voice and his
shout resembled a thunderstorm.

He wore clothes
of brocade with a white loose neck and his turban was coiled and wound round
a gold embroidered üsküf. He received a great amount of money from taxation
so that the treasury became very rich. Regular pay was distributed to the soldiers
for the first time during his reign.